LeBron James Discovering What Happens When You Try To Suppress Something

from the calling-attention... dept

Thu, Jul 9th 2009 7:11am — Mike Masnick

Every time you think people understand that trying to suppress some kind of information only draws more attention to it, it happens again. The latest, as pointed out by Tim O'Reilly is that basketball star LeBron James had videos confiscated after he was dunked on by a college sophomore -- and because of that it's now being written up on various news sites and blogs. If he'd just let the video go out it may have amused a few people but no one would have thought any less of James, one of the best players ever to play the game. Instead, even more people are finding out about it and makes James look really insecure and controlling. In fact, the Rivals.com points out that because the video can't be seen, people will just assume it makes James look as bad as possible:

The Crawford dunk would have been a temporary embarrassment for LeBron. Let's say the video was put on YouTube. It blows up for a bit, dominates blogs for 36 hours, everyone has a good chuckle and then it's forgotten about.

But by censoring the tape, LeBron turns the dunk into a legend. On video, it's just a dunk. Without video, the jam can reach mythic proportions. Because nobody can see it, the story of the dunk will grow in stature with each telling. Today, it was a simple two-handed slam. In a few days, it will be a 360-degree windmill. By the time Crawford makes his Xavier debut in October, he will have jumped off LeBron's shoulders, flipped in the air, slammed the ball home with his left pinkie and then handed LeBron $3.99 for his dry cleaning.

One day, perhaps, people will learn...

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Filed Under: attention, lebron james, streisand effect, suppression

28 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 7:30am

Shouldn't LeBron be in jail being the criminal he is?
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yogi, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:13am

Pathetic
This case is truly ironic - he confiscated the tapes in order to protect his image of "the best player on earth" but by suppressing the tapes he appears as a truly pathetic s.o.b and as an immature, spoiled brat turned tyrant.I hopes he enjoys his new image...

As good as he is on the court, he seems to be a real prick off of it. And pretty stupid as well.
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Anonymous Poster, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:13am

By the time Crawford makes his Xavier debut in October, he will have jumped off LeBron's shoulders, flipped in the air, slammed the ball home with his left pinkie and then handed LeBron $3.99 for his dry cleaning.

Okay, that's just hilarious.

As is this whole situation. Nike and LeBron should have known better.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:20am

Re:
no, Kobe should be for rape. I think you have your superstars mixed up. fucking idiot.
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JustTheFacts, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:21am

From my understanding this happened at a Nike basketball camp that LeBron is part of and it was Nike that doesn't allow people to film inside the camp. They (Nike) were the ones who suppressed the film not LeBron. I'm sure LeBron probably doesn't even care that someone dunked on him, it's not the first time and probably won't be the last time. It's just part of the game, it happens. I'm betting Nike is more concerned with LeBron's "image" than LeBron is.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:23am

Re: Re:
now now, more belligerent ignorance being displayed here.
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Aaron, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:24am

Its already growing
The first time I read this story elsewhere (http://thehoopdoctors.com/online2/2009/07/lebron-got-dunked-on-nike-confiscates-video-footage/ and http://gary-parrish.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/15942689) it was Nike that seized the video saying it made one of their promo employees look bad. The only way anyone said it was LeBron was some one's assumption. Now this article and the one at Yahoo is saying it was LeBron, so which is it? If it really was LeBron it makes him look bad, but if it's Nike doing it to protect him as a marketing resource they need to put out a press release or something because they are making him look really bad.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:28am

Re:
why was someone filming if Nike doesn't allow people to film? I doubt Nike would allow anyone with a camera inside if filming was not allowed.
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This is funny!, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:29am

Crawford just got another million added to his contract
The hype and inflation on this story just added another $1 Million to Crawford's first contract. He will be getting endorsement deals right and left. I just hope that he will be remembered for more than being the "guy that dunked on LBJ"
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itchyfish, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:30am

Re: Its already growing
I also got the same information that it was Nike, not LeBron that yanked the video. This wasn't the first (or last) time LeBron has been (will be) dunked on, so for him, it's probably not that big of deal. But if the kid was wearing Reeboks, then it's a potentially huge embarrasment for Nike.
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Bob3000, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:34am

Barbara
10 comments and not one mention of the "Streisand effect"?!?!
C'mon Techdirt commenters - this one screams for it! LOL.
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ecoliguy, 9 Jul 2009 @ 8:40am

Re: Crawford just got another million added to his contract
"I just hope that he will be remembered for more than being the "guy that dunked on LBJ"

Lyndon Johnson plays basketball? OMG zombie presidents!
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Jaqenn, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:06am

Killer App Time
I say the next Killer iPhone App is one that constantly sends the last 3 seconds of your video recording to an offsite server via the internet connection. That way they can seize your camera, but it's too late to take away the video.

Would have come in handy here.
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Matt, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:12am

Re: Barbara
Blah. That's so tired...
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:21am

You wish...
> One day, perhaps, people will learn...

Is it the only lesson of history that man is unteachable?
-- Sir Winston Churchill
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Yakko Warner, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:36am

Re:
Anyone else reminded of those old McDonald's commercials with Michael Jordan and Larry Bird?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvy4ztbXVAk
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Matt Bennett, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:39am

Douche
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Someantimalwareguy, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:43am

Re: You wish...
You just can't fix stupid!
--Ron White
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Stephen, 9 Jul 2009 @ 9:46am

mj losing at basketball fantasy camp
this brings to mind the story of jordan losing in a game of one-on-one at a basketball fantasy camp. that video is great. the guy was a ceo but do you think he wants that to top his obit?

http://neswsports.com/2008/11/13/ceo-john-rogers-beat-michael-jordan-video/
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 10:45am

Re: Re: Re:
chuckle, fair enough...
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Almost Anonymous (profile), 9 Jul 2009 @ 10:47am

Re: Barbara
Well, I know why Mike didn't use it in his summary:

Every time he does, he gets ragged on for daring to use a term that he coined. And to that I say, "Mike, when there is a clear case of Streissand Effect, say it loud and say it proud! I chuckle every time I read it."
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 10:49am

Re:
Which crime are you suggesting that he should be in jail for?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 10:50am

Re: Re:
Please, is there an NBA player that is not a criminal and a thug?

Sure Kobe should be in prison for rape but he is just one of the many in the NBA that should be locked up.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 10:50am

Re:
Is the 3.99 for dry cleaning to pay for the Nut he busted all over Lebron's face?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jul 2009 @ 12:02pm

Re: Re:
Weapons charges, assault, battery, sexual assault to name a few.

You just have to dig a bit deeper than what is reported on ESPN sports center or the evening news.
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dorp, 13 Jul 2009 @ 9:16am

Re: Re: Re:
Please, is there an NBA player that is not a criminal and a thug?

Sure Kobe should be in prison for rape but he is just one of the many in the NBA that should be locked up.

Do you know names of more than 3 NBA players, Mr. Judge, Jury and Executioner? Leave your grandstanding to your PTA meetings.
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Ton Mire, 21 Oct 2009 @ 8:54am

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jkla, 24 May 2010 @ 6:57am

nice lebron james shoes
Nike lebron shoes is more light, more low,and more stable.Nike succeeded do it again.
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